Forensics

Question 1

Anger management

Answer 1

Therapy aimed at reducing criminal behaviour by identifying aggressive behaviour and teaching coping mechanisms e.g meditation

Question 2

Atavistic Form

Answer 2

Approach for explaining criminal behaviour. Theory suggests that criminal behaviour could be result of genes, and therefore some individuals were predisposed to commit crimes. Further claimed to be able to identify criminals and their skull shape, more primative due to inclination to commit crime

Question 3

Cognitive distortions

Answer 3

Faulty cognitions that lead to irrational thoughts

Question 4

Custodial sentencing

Answer 4

A punishment that aims to reduce criminal behaviour, via sentencing in court for either prison or another institute

Question 5

Differential Association Theory

Answer 5

A theory that suggests that criminal behaviour develops through experiences and association with other criminal behaviours

Question 6

Disorganised offender

Answer 6

Describes offenders more likely to commit a crime impulsively e.g evidence left at scene, discarded body etc. Usually non intelligent, poor employment rate, not confident

Question 7

Eyesnck’s theory of criminal personality

Answer 7

This theory suggested that criminal behaviour was a result of certain personality traits, such as high extraversion and neuroticism

Question 8

Geographical Profiling

Answer 8

Method to identify an offender. Involves noting all areas a certain crime took place, the location of the offender is hen predicted as an offender won’t usually travel too far to commit crime

Question 9

Hostile Attribution Bias

Answer 9

Form of cognitive distortions which may explain some criminal behaviour. Specifically, when a person interprets someone else’s behaviour as hostile even when it isn’t e.g misinterpreting a neutral face as being angry.

Question 10

Level of moral reasoning

Answer 10

Theory for criminal behaviour which suggests it arises due to immature sense of right and wrong. This theory states moral reasoning develops in stages

Question 11

Minimalisation

Answer 11

Form of cognitive distortions. When an offender reduces the severity of their crimes e.g using language like “they were asking for it”

Question 12

Offender Profiling

Answer 12

Technique used to identify possible offenders. Involves creating a “profile” which contains probable traits, these traits are inferred from the way the crime is committed.

Question 13

Recidivism

Answer 13

Re-offending after being released from prison

Question 14

Restorative justice programmes

Answer 14

Programmes that aim to reduce criminal behaviour by introducing the offender to the victim/ their family. Gives the victim the opportunity to reach catharsis and the criminal to confront the consequences of their actions.

Question 15

Top-down approach

Answer 15

Technique used for offender profiling, involves looking at previous similar cases and the criminals responsible. Thus, some common traits can be identified, which are probably exhibited by the current offender

Question 16

Organised Offender

Answer 16

Refers to offenders who have planned the crime; which is implied through hiding the body and removing the weapon. These types of offenders are typically highly intelligent.